


Biscuit

by highlytrainedfangirl



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: And a little bit of angst, Flashback, Fluff, Magnus feeling all parental, based on a prompt, but it's small, referenced character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 04:39:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9531848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highlytrainedfangirl/pseuds/highlytrainedfangirl
Summary: “I'm sorry, biscuit, I wish there was something I could do.”She didn't look at him, just kept her gaze down, until a thought popped into her head.“Why do you call me that?”Spoilers for 2x05





	

The photograph was beautiful and painful at the same time. Her mother’s eyes shone with genuine happiness and the young girl in the picture was someone Clay had thought lost to even herself.  
But there it was in her hand, a memory of her she didn't remember.  
She was torn between clutching the image to her chest and never letting go, or tossing in into a fire to never again have to look at the past she could never have back. So, the card shook slightly as she held it cautiously between two fingers, as if the paper could burn her.

“I'm sorry, biscuit, I wish there was something I could do.”  
She didn't look at him, just kept her gaze down, until a thought popped into her head.  
“Why do you call me that?” the thought had never occurred to Clary before, but then again, she hadn't had many opportunities to speak to Magnus like this. “You’ve called me biscuit, what, like four times now?”  
Magnus let out a small sigh that could almost have been a laugh and dipped his head towards the floor.  
“I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was doing it.” When he realised that she was still waiting for an answer Magnus continued, “it was something I used to call you when you'd visit here.”  
The same smile graced his features as when he recalled the memory of Clary and her mother. It was a smile that revealed the true age hidden beneath the youthful façade.

 

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

 

While many unusual figures may have come seeking Magnus Bane for assistance, he certainly never expected to find a shadowhunter on his doorstep, begging for help.  
“Please,” he could see the desperation in her eyes, “I need your help.”  
“I'm sorry but I really don't want to get involved in shadowhunters’ business.”  
He tried turning away but found himself stuck in place when the woman reached out and grasped his arms.  
“My name is Jocelyn Fairchild - ” before she could even finish talking the warlock cut her off, “Then I'm definitely not helping.” He knew that name and he wasn't going to deal with shadowhunter politics, especially not anything to do with Valentine’s wife.

He was about to turn and shut the door when a fiery head of hair peaked around Jocelyn’s body.  
A resigned sigh escaped his lips as he welcomed the two in. “Don't take this the wrong way, I still want no business with Valentine.”  
Jocelyn tried to coax her daughter into a chair, before walking up to Magnus and whispering in a hushed voice, “neither do I. That's part of why I'm here.” She shot a glance at the child who was staring with confusion and curiosity, “She's his daughter.”  
It was barely spoken above a whisper, and even though they both knew that no one could overhear their conversation, it was as if the words shouldn't be spoken aloud.  
Everything stood still, neither sure what to say next.  
Eventually, he relented. Without saying another word to Jocelyn, Magnus crouched down in front of the child sitting in one of his many armchairs. The young girl appeared much less intimated than most of the children who were brought along to his lair; she simply looked intrigued. Although, when introduced to a strange man with cat’s eyes and who shimmered with glitter, that was not an uncommon reaction.  
But he could tell whatever Jocelyn had to say was better not discussed in front of a child, however inquisitive this one may be.  
“I need to talk to your mom for a bit,” he leaned in and whispered conspiringly, “boring grown up stuff.”  
She let out a short giggle.  
“So you need to stay in here for a bit,” he paused, pretending to be thinking, “how about I get you something for while you wait?” Magnus pulled a biscuit tin out from ‘behind’ the chair she was sitting in (although in reality it had previously residing in the next room over).

Once she was happily munching through the contents of the tin, Magnus left to speak with Jocelyn in another room.

 

From then onwards, it became a habit. Jocelyn would bring her daughter (only on their second visit did he discover her name was Clary) and as soon as she arrive he would offer her the biscuit tin.  
It reached a point where if he didn't offer, that would be her only request. Never anything else, just a biscuit. 

It was accidental at first, saying “see you next time, biscuit” but it somehow stuck. He became a lot more attached to Clary than he would have liked and the name seemed to fit.

 

•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•

 

When he finished recounting his tale, Clary looked at him with a small, soft smile. While she was sad that she could remember none of it, she could see how happy Magnus was just retelling the memories.  
His smile, like hers, also held sadness. Magnus had never truly been able to experience having children of his own and witnessing Clary’s growth had effected him in ways he'd never imagined possible.

Even after Simon and Clary left, Magnus struggled to shut the door on the memories that came flooding back to him. Ever since Clary had appeared at the party alongside a group of shadowhunters, he'd known that the little girl he cared for was gone.  
In her place know was someone strong and fierce; a natural shadowhunter.

When had he started calling her biscuit again? He didn't remember. 

Perhaps now he understood why parents complained that their children grew too fast. He wished he could see that little girl who visited him so long ago, just one more time.

**Author's Note:**

> Wish I could take all the credit for this, but you can thank @scorpooooo on tumblr [for the prompt](http://scorpooooo.tumblr.com/post/156625390608/ravsreyes-magnus-and-his-biscuit)


End file.
